Nix swearing off Nike after calf issues

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Laynce Nix caches a fly-out by Chicago Cubs' Blake DeWitt during the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, April 30, 2012, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

TAMPA, Fla. -- Laynce Nix announced Wednesday that he is a free agent -- at least when it comes to baseball footwear.

The veteran outfielder had a miserable final five months with the Phillies last season, a stretch beset by calf injuries and a dead bat. The calf problems cost him 10 weeks to the disabled list, and when he returned in late July he played little and hit even less, batting .191 with one homer in 68 at-bats for the remainder of the year.

According to Nix, who signed a two-year deal with the Phillies prior to the 2012 season, the culprit for his lower-leg problems last season have a swoosh on the sides of them.

“To be short and direct,” Nix said Wednesday, “the shoes that I was wearing didn’t flex where my toes flex, and it caused tension in the Achilles’ (tendon) and calves. That built up for a couple of years in my Achilles’ and calves.”

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Although Nix had a few disabled-list stints over the years -- a strained abdomen, a turned ankle, a shoulder that required surgery -- he hadn’t been one to have leg problems until the last two seasons. He said his Achilles’ tendon gave him issues while in Washington, then he had the calf problems last year in Philly. Nix said a conversation with Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino -- both wearers of Nike products, and both of whom have had calf issues in the past -- led him to suspect his cleats were the problem.

“If you look back at the same time (Yankees first baseman) Mark Teixeira and (Angels first baseman) Albert Pujols had calf strains, and so did I wearing the same type of shoes. That was sort of eye-opening to me, so I had to make a change of shoes. It was very frustrating, because it wasn’t anything I did from a lack of training or strengthening.”

It might be difficult to recall, but Nix played well for the Phillies in the early going last season. In fact, between April 24 and May 6 he started 10 out of 11 games and went 10-for-27 (.370) with three home runs, three doubles and six RBIs, and the Phils won seven of those 10 games.

The problem was that the regular playing time meant regular running in that unfriendly pair of Nikes. A few days after that stretch as an everyday outfielder, he was on the D.L. with a strained left calf.

“I think making a couple of adjustments should equal a full year of health,” Nix said of this season.

Nix came to camp secure in a roster spot more by his $1.35 million salary than anything, especially in an outfield heavy on left-hander hitters between him, Ben Revere and Domonic Brown. But Nix came into camp down nearly 20 pounds and has been moving well. He entered Wednesday night batting .259 (7-for-27) with a home run. He also hit a long ball against the Dominican Republic’s World Baseball Classic squad. In 2011 with the Nationals he hit .250 with 16 homers in 324 ABs, and thinks with a pair of healthy wheels he can be that part-time player with pop the Phils needed when they signed him.

“I think there’s room (for me),” Nix said. “The hitters ahead (in the order) are terrific hitters, so I don’t think having a left-handed-heavy lineup will get in the way for us.”

As for his footwear, while Victorino and Rollins switched to different styles of Nike shoes, Nix is swearing off the swoosh.

The Phillies had another sloppy fielding effort Wednesday night, as five errors played a big role in Cliff Lee’s brief start and a 6-2 loss to the Yankees at Steinbrenner Field.

For the second straight game the Phils only got 2 2/3 innings from their starter. However, unlike Roy Halladay’s brutally erratic performance Tuesday, Lee was victimized by the poor glove work and a changeup that he couldn’t locate.

“I had three walks, so I wasn’t too happy about that,” Lee said. “They got some hits, and we played a little sloppy -- and I contributed to that ... I was just a little erratic.

“The only changeup I threw for a strike got hit. I was struggling to get that pitch over the plate.”

NOTES: Darin Ruf, who led the minor leagues in home runs last season, finally got his first Grapefruit League homer against David Aardsma ... Right-hander Mike Stutes, who early in spring was having serious control problems coming off shoulder surgery last summer, has pulled it together nicely lately. He pitched two shutout innings against the Yankees, striking out two, and is giving the Phils reason to consider him in the bullpen to open the year.